Battle of Midway

Battle of Midway

Game

Game modes

Platform

Setting

Part of the

Teams

Date

4th – 7th June, 1942

Location

Midway Atoll

Singleplayer

Yes

Terrain

Sea

Combat

Naval Warfare

Media

The Battle of Midway was a Pacific-theater battle of World War II, fought in 1942 and widely regarded as one of the most important naval battles of the Pacific campaign and in history. In the end, the United States Navy decisively defeated an Imperial Japanese Navy attack against Midway Atoll, inflicting irreparable damage on the Japanese by sinking four of their aircraft carriers, Akagi, Soryu, Hiryu and Kaga, and many of their best pilots, at the loss of USS Yorktown. The battle is featured in the game Battlefield 1942.

In the actual battle, the Japanese intended to capture Midway as a base for further operations. Also, they were partially motivated to prevent a repetition of the humiliating Doolittle Raid on Japan, which they thought was launched from Midway. The US intercepted and dechipered a Japanese message that pointed to the plan and assembled what remained of her fleet, including her three aircraft carriers (Yorktown, Hornet and Enterprise) to face the numerically superior Imperial Japanese Navy led by the famous Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto. While Midway was bombed and the initial US attacks horribly failed, US dive bombers eventually destroyed all four Japanese carriers, forcing Admiral Yamamoto to retreat for the safety of his fleet. The battle is commonly regarded as the turning point of the War in the Pacific.

There are some differences between the game map and the real battle. While in real life the battle was almost exclusively fought on air, this map features a sea-air-land battle. Also, both sides have approximately equal forces in the game, but historically, the US Navy was outnumbered, although they had control of Midway before the battle began, while in the game, Midway begins neutral.

Contents

"American and Japanese fleets are once again preparing for a minor showdown in the Pacific - this time near Midway Island. Within striking distance at either Hawaii or Japan, Midway is of obvious strategic importance. Fortunately for the US, American naval command has learned secret information regarding the Japanese attack plan. While Japan conducts diversionary attacks, the US knows that the bulk of the Japanese force is heading toward US-controlled Midway. It's now a tense waiting game as the US fleet patrols the region, hoping to spot the Japanese force before it spots them. The winner at Midway will have a clear advantage in the war in the Pacific."

The map is centred around the two islands of the Midway atoll, linked by a small bridge. Two fleets are assembled, the allies to the North East and axis to the South West. The islands consist of an airfield outpost and another outpost with a Defgun. In multiplayer, two more flags are located at sea, North and South of the atoll.

Each team begins the battle with a fleet of ships. In singleplayer, this comprises an aircraft carrier and a destroyer each. However, in multiplayer, each fleet is bigger, consisting of a carrier (either a Yorktown class - USS Enterprise - for the allies or a Shokaku class for the axis), a battleship (HMS Prince of Wales for the allies or IJN Yamato for the axis), two destroyers and a submarine.

Each of the carriers, battleships and destroyers spawn landing craft, LCVPs for the Americans and Daihatsus for the Japanese. The carriers also house AA guns and spawn planes, a fighter and a dive bomber each. These are, for the US, the F4U Corsair and SBD Dauntless, and for the Japanese, the A6M Zero and the Aichi D3A Val, respectively.

This is a large airfield, located on the largest of the islands, to the North and East of the atoll. This spawns two torpedo bombers aircraft for whoever holds it, as well as a jeep and a half-track. The base also has four AA guns and a defgun. The airfield contains several buildings, including a hospital with medical supplies and an aircraft hangar with vehicle repair facilities.

In the multiplayer map there are also two ocean flags, Point Luck and Point Charlie, respectively located due north and south of the central island. These can be captured by ships or even planes. They can't spawn infantry or vehicles, but do contribute to tickets.

"The US fleet chalked up a decisive victory at Midway. Many are declaring this the most significant naval battle of the war so far. Thanks to key intelligence information, US naval commanders stayed one step ahead of the Japanese fleet throughout the battle. Having lost their most modern carriers, Japan is most surely on the run after this defeat."